New LDS Mission President Begins Service In Albuquerque, New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Timothy B. Guffey begins his three-year tenure as the mission president of the New Mexico Albuquerque Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retired as a patent manager from Procter and Gamble in Ohio, he serves with his wife Kandis M. Guffey. They have 8 children and 19 grandchildren.

Stationed in Albuquerque, President and Sister Guffey oversee approximately 160 missionaries, mostly in their late teens and early twenties. They come from various parts of the United States and the world to serve for 1½-2 years at their own expense. There are eight senior couples who assist with the work as well.

Having joined to the Church when he was a student at Georgia Tech, President Guffey has specific goals to achieve as the mission president: 1) share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible, 2) train missionaries on how to achieve this, 3) strengthen the Church locally, 4) build bridges and create understanding in the community, and 5) strengthen families. Sister Guffey is fully involved in these objectives, and she also offers a nurturing influence for the young missionaries who are away from their homes and families.

The area of this mission includes a broad strip down the center of New Mexico (not including the extreme east or west), starting at the Colorado border and extending to El Paso, Texas. It is one of 418 church missions which accommodate over 74,000 missionaries serving worldwide. The Church, has approximately 15½ million members, about 30,000 congregations, and 188 published languages.

Succeeding President Steven J. Miller, who served with his wife Sister Joni Miller, the Guffeys look forward to their time here.